United States Commission on

Civil Rights

June 2026 Newsletter

On Friday, June 12, 2026, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights held a briefing to investigate mental health care and consequences in juvenile justice facilities.

Many youth in juvenile justice facilities have mental health needs that may go unidentified, untreated, or inadequately treated during confinement. Inadequate mental health care, coupled with abuse and violence in some youth facilities, can create an unsafe environment for children and adolescents sentenced to serve time in residential facilities.

“Children should not enter the justice system for a minor mistake and be subject to deeper trauma, lifelong system involvement, or zero chance to come home,” said Chair Rochelle M. Garza. “If rehabilitation is the goal, mental health care must be prioritized and fully accessible.”

At this public briefing, the Commission heard eye opening testimony from subject matter experts, such as federal and state government officials, community advocates, and impacted persons who have lived and worked in juvenile facilities.

Dieter Cantu, Director of Juvenile Rights, bravely shared his personal experience during his time in the child welfare system as a youth and incarceration during his teenage years and early adulthood. "If we can immediately recognize when a youth breaks a rule, we should be able to recognize when a youth is asking for help," said Cantu.

All testimony and bios of the panelists can be found here: Panelist Materials

The Commission still wants to hear from the public. We are accepting written materials from the public for consideration as we prepare our report. Written materials may be submitted to juvenilejusticebriefing@usccr.gov no later than July 12, 2026.

New Jersey Advisory Committee Virtual Briefings on Antisemitism

Examining Potential Civil Rights Violations Resulting from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policies at Montana Public Universities

The Montana Advisory Committee will hold a series of vitual public briefings from July until the Fall. The purpose of these events is to hear testimony examining civil rights concerns with the enactment of DEI policies at Montana public universities’ current policies and an analysis of discrimination, if any, based on race, religion, color, age, disability, or other federally protected category.

Committee Chair Kendall Cotton said, “The testimony we receive in these briefings will inform our understanding of potential civil rights violations resulting from diversity, equity, and inclusion policies at Montana public universities. We invite interested members of the public to attend and share their perspectives during the public comment session.”

The Committee invites members of the public to share a public comment at any of the three scheduled briefings. Additionally, members of the public are welcome to submit written comments to afortes@usccr.gov or through an online form https://wkf.ms/4uVXi0b. The Committee will accept written comments until November 30, 2026.

Compliance with Students for Fair Admissions at Virginia Public Universities

The Virginia Advisory Committee will convene a series of public, web-based briefings to discuss compliance with Students for Fair Admissions at Virginia Public Universities. The Virginia Advisory Committee will issue findings and recommendations in a report to the Commission after all testimony has been received. 

Chair Alison Somin said, “The Virginia Advisory Committee is eager to understand whether and how the Students for Fair Admissions cases have impacted the use of race in admission in Virginia’s Public Universities.”

The Committee invites oral and written testimony from the public, including experts on this topic and officials from Virginia public universities who are able to speak about their institutions’ practices.

Members of the public will be invited to make oral comments for three minutes on the topic at the conclusion of the briefing, after all invited panelists have shared remarks and the Committee question and answer session has concluded. Members of the public are also invited to submit written comments at https://tinyurl.com/4fjtwv3h within 30 days of the briefings to be included in the public record. 

CSSBMB x Men’s Health Month

In 2023, the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys (CSSBMB) found that despite advancements in healthcare, widespread social disparities persist. This underscores the need for wholistic efforts to ensure equitable access to quality care and improvement to health outcomes for Black males.

Learn more from CSSBMB’s 2023 ‘Spotlights’ for Men’s Health Month: bit.ly/4eNSaDW.

U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys (CSSBMB) Links to Know:

CSSBMB 2026 Black Male Employment

CSSBMB 2025 Annual Report

CSSBMB 2024 Annual Report

CSSBMB 2023 Annual Report

CSSBMB 2023 AR "Spotlights"

CSSBMB Inaugural Annual Report

CSSBMB 2023 ACT NOW Summit

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• New Testimony Calls for Reducing Youth Confinement to Improve Mental Health Outcomes – The Sentencing Project
• Experts urge juvenile justice reforms to address mental health

• US civil rights report details antisemitic conduct at Denver's Auraria campus - Israel & Jewish News - JNS



• Congressional Black Caucus Statement on the Service of Rep. Frederica S. Wilson | Congressional Black Caucus

The Civil Rights Act of 1957 created the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Established as an independent, bipartisan, fact-finding federal agency, our mission is to inform the development of national civil rights policy and enhance enforcement of federal civil rights laws. We pursue this mission by studying alleged deprivations of voting rights and alleged discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or in the administration of justice. We play a vital role in advancing civil rights through objective and comprehensive investigation, research, and analysis on issues of fundamental concern to the federal government and the public.